Fallout: Texas
by MediocreMisterM
Summary: In the year of 2317, a simple scavenger is thrown away from his regular day to day of raiding Vaults as a great danger rises over his home of New Arlington, calling for any hero to stop it. Our scavenger Mike, joined by his Ghoul neighbor Alex, head out to the Texan Wastelands in order to build a true army in order to take down the greatest scourge of the Lone Star State.
1. Mike I: A Walk Home

As the music from my Pip-Boy started to die down, slowing as the finish came upon it, I grinned a little hearing the familiar voice of the Lone Star State's resident DJ start to speak in that typical, calming tone that he always holds no matter what situation he talks about.

"And that was Civilization by the late Danny Kaye and The Andrews Sisters. Man, civilization seems like a thing of the past, don't it? Two hundred and forty years in the past to be approximate. But hey, we're still here and we're still kickin'. Just shows what those fools at Vault-Tec knew about the apocalypse. Thinking the only ways to be safe was hiding in holes underground, never seein' the light of day. Well, let me tell you something friends. Human civilization ain't about to fall from some fallout. We're just too goddamn stubborn. War may have gotten us here, but our war with stayin' alive is a thousand times stronger than those bombs that caused this hell.

"And war? My friends, war never changes. It's strong and hits like a motherfucker." He lets out a light chuckle as he turns to another song and starts to play. "But onto a lighter note, pun intended, let's hear what happened when someone doesn't want the world to burn from war. This was DJ Lucas Dahl, and I'll get right back at ya."

His speaking stops as the song I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire begins to play, making my walk down this old, destroyed highway filled with some form of music. I never understood how this little device could pick up radio signals as good as it does, especially with so little tuning, but I don't question it. I raided a dead Vault, found it on a skeleton and kept it after selling the rest I found. A good stack of caps, plus a little extra loot. Extra loot is always good. The only problem is my base is so far out of the nearest town the loot weighs me down a bit.

I look at the Pip-Boy to check the time, making sure I could get home before it gets too dark. In these Texas wastes you don't want to get caught outside at night. Basilisks will slither up and tear you apart before you even knew what hit you. God those things are terrifying. Twenty foot serpents that can shoot a concentrated form of radiation up to ten meters, very territorial, and angrier than a Deathclaw with glaucoma. Glad I don't have any around my base.

I take a look around as I come to the usual split in the road, one way leading home and the other into the radiated remains of what used to be Fort Worth. I have a pretty safe spot, in between the three ruined cities that makes this portion of Texas famous. Fort Worth, sadly destroyed, Dallas, also horribly destroyed, and New Arlington, an area that is the biggest settlement around with nearly five hundred people within it. Also the best place to sell old Vault Tec equipment to some Ghouls that actually used to work in a Vault Tec facility! They're cool, for Ghouls and for Vault Tec workers.

Never seen a functioning one. Vault, that is. Only the scraps of failed Vaults previously raided and half destroyed. Sometimes I'll get lucky, like today, and find a whole closed off section with all the Pip-Boys still intact and multiple loads of meds and chems, some I kept for myself. Then, there are my unlucky days, when I chase after the rumors of a never before touched Vault. Seems harmless, aside the fact it was a nest for the Texas Wastes' worse monster ever. The Deathhorn. Deathclaws that evolved from the pre-war Texas Horned-Toad. Covered in spikes it can pull off it's own body and throw at you, only to regrow them insanely quickly.

I stopped going to that Vault.

Instead, I stay closer to home, with people I know and threats I can protect myself from. Then again, my only neighbors is my Ghoul friend Alex, a farmer in a mostly intact mansion he 'purloined' from some of his feral cousins. Cool guy, although he does get a little too protective of his farm, even to me, his best friend Mike. Well, who can blame him? Out here, you have to be protective of everything and suspicious of everyone. Can't blame him though, I don't have the friendliest of faces I will admit. Constantly wearing heavy aviators, an American Flag patterned bandanna over my mouth and the spiked collar I wear for not pleasurable reasons tends to make me look like a raider at times. Which I suppose I am but in the most lenient sense possible. I'll raid abandoned Vaults and buildings, but never do what actual raiders do.

I keep walking down the road as more and more buildings start to thin out and it turn to empty, irradiated countryside, showing the Brahmin grazing in the fields freely. It gives a nice, calming feeling of peace and nature in this world. The peace is soon temporarily interrupted as the music starts to die down again, meeting with our DJ speaking once again.

"Well now, wasn't that a lovely change of pace for the day? We all need a small slow down moment with good music. But, sadly, those moments must be interrupted by the news of wasteland in order to keep you alive and enjoying us more and more.

"Starting us off is a good little sports story. The Nuka Cola Stadium has just opened up for this years baseball season, showing once again that, no matter what, baseball is, and forever will be, America's pastime. The New Arlington Ferals beat The New Vegas Fire Ants seven to three in season's first game, sending the Nevada team back home in shame but with a hint of pride of their excellent teamwork." The New Arlington Ferals. My home team. Glad to hear they still do pretty well on the field.

"Next up, some news for anyone interested in salvaging old Vault Tec material to sell to the remaining Vault Tec employees in New Arlington. I just recently received word of a local, who wishes their name stay hidden, that had raided a recently unknown part of the abandoned Vault 289. Apparently filled with pre-war tech and chems, all that was reportedly salvaged was the Pip-Boys and Jet." What can I say? A man needs his vices, and mine just so happens to be an inhaler of drugs. Don't judge me.

"Lastly, some darker news on a little attack at Ghoul Town. Turns out, King Hertic attempted a large scale assault on the amusement park turned settlement, damaging and ruining a little under half of the housing and attractions of the park. The reasons for this attack are unknown, but it is known that the King's pet Deathhorn, Ezekiel, was used in the battle, so it is possibly extremely personal." Oh wow, he brought out Ezekiel for the attack. That's never a good sign.

"That should be all the news for right now ladies and gentlemen. This is DJ Lucas Dahl from the Live I-75 News Station, signing out for the night. But don't y'all worry, I still got all the good hits playing throughout the night for you. Starting with what possibly could have started this whole fallout in the first place, Uranium Fever."

I never really cared for this one, so I turn off the radio for a few minutes. Wait a second, did he say 'for the night'? I look up to realizing I have been lost in my thoughts and radio for longer than I thought! But, if I haven't been paying attention and walked with muscle memory, I should be…

Aha! I look up in time to see my decently intact house with a single light on upstairs, just like I left it! I really have to start remembering to turn that lamp off. I open my little white picket fence gate and step into my yard, walking up to the door before getting stopped by the my friendly Ghoul neighbor, Alex.

"Well hey there, Mikey," he greeted, not having as rough and gravely a voice as most Ghouls, "nice walk home?"

I shrug a little and hold up my arm to show off the Vault Tec Pip-Boy. "Pretty good, now that I got this little baby with me. Listing to I-75 on the way home made me lose track of time. I'm just glad to be home and get some well deserved shut eye."

"I can get behind that, pal. Well, I'll let ya get to it, just wanted to say hi. Hey, Mike," he asks, "We still on for beers at Styla's Bar tomorrow?"

"You bet your withered ass we are! Ain't nothing's gonna get in the way of me and one of Styla's personal brews! Nothing!"


	2. Mike II: Returning to Town

The night was fairly slow and uneventful, the only thing giving it any mention is a small, two-man party with me and Alex over a healthy meal of Grilled Deathhorn and Mutfuit Salad with a couple shots of whiskey. Can never go wrong with whiskey. After dinner, me and Alex hung out for an hour or so before he finally left, going home to leave me alone in my mostly intact house so I can rest. Well, rest is a strong word. Hop up on Jet for a while and crash is a much better term. I have control of my life, definitely.

After my initial inhale I lean back on my couch and wait for the kick to hit me. Either it takes a very long time or I pass out while waiting for it to kick in, because in the time it took me to take one small quick blink and when I opened my eyes again, it was almost morning. I think this stuff has started dying out on me, I have to find something stronger. Jet Fuel maybe, but my house is made of steel so I have fear of it melting. It's 2317, I can make that joke, far worse things have happened.

I groan and sit up out of my chair I passed out on, looking around waiting in case anything was to happen, which on normal mornings nothing does. Exactly like how I described them, most mornings are just normal. I need a more exciting life, all I do is scavenge and drink and occasionally get high, I need variety! Oh well, the things I want aren't the sort of things a guy like me gets no matter what happens.

After a minute or two I start up my usual morning routine of cooking up some Deathclaw Egg Omelettes. Amazing how we've advanced to a point where we can farm these things, and equally amazing how much the farms charge out the ass for them. But it makes sense, those things are freaking dangerous and those farmers deserve some proper payment for collecting their eggs. And farmer is a really heavy term, it's more along the lines of 'containers of dangerous animals and stealers of their eggs'. But still, they're insane and deserve the fame they have.

After a mundane breakfast and good half an hour of relaxing best I could, I finally gather up my pack and throw it on, of course making sure I had enough food and water if I decide to go out scavenging, and grab my lucky 10mm, Deadeye! Always gotta name a gun, especially if it's as modified as this one is! Glow-sights, extended quick-eject mag, advanced receiver and a nice comfort grip. Now this is a gun. This baby got me through many a Stinkbomber in my time. I hate those things, giant irradiated skunks, spraying pure radiation on everything. I slip on my new Pip-Boy and grab my handy-dandy switchblade with serrated blade and finally decide to head on out for the day.

But the question is, where to search for the day? I've already gotten most of the big locations that have small amounts of danger. The unopened Vaults, the old VTT-Vault-Tec and Technological College-Stadium, the Old Arlington Convention Center, at least twenty Red Rocket gas stations… I may have to start going out longer journeys. Maybe get me a Brahmin Steer to carry things for me, I am lazy enough to do that. And with my haul yesterday I do have enough caps for it. Alex would enjoy the free fertilizer when I am home… Well, seems as though I am acquiring myself a Brahmin Steer today if any are available. Suppose that means my first start is into New Arlington's market.

I exit my house and start down the walkway to the road, turning to see the farming Ghoul already hard at work. I give him a little wave and come to the ruined remains of the fence between our houses to talk, to which he comes to talk as well.

"Good mornin' Alex! Got a good day of farming ahead I hope?"

The Ghout chuckles and nods. "I suppose so. Everything's been coming in pretty well these last few weeks. Well, except the razorgrain, but let's be honest. Who really uses that stuff?"

I think on it for a second and shrug not coming up with an answer. "You got me, never seen many people use razorgrain for anything. Welp, I'll let you get to your farming, I gotta head into New Arlington to see if there are any Brahmin for sale. Think I'm gonna start going on longer expeditions for my scavenging, might make a name for myself in new towns, all that fun stuff."

The Ghoul noticeable gets a little upset at this and looks down. "You ain't leavin' forever, are you? I need somebody to drink with!"

I laugh and shake my head, reaching over and patting Alex on the should. "I ain't leaving forever. If anything it'll only be about two days I'm gone at a time. We'll get a hard bourbon every time I get back, because I am telling you I ain't leaving any place I go to without stealing some booze."

"Wonderful. Oh, speaking of, drinks tonight still on?"

"Bet your radioactive ass it is! Today's going to be a little bit chill I think, calmer than my usual outings. Might not even go out!" I think on the idea for a second before nodding my head. "Yeah, yeah, I don't think I'll go out scavenging today! Might go play a few rounds at the Old Arlington Bowling Ball Museum. Hope that old hunk of junk Handy got that last lane finished, that's my lucky lane. Then I think I'll go over to Styla's early and get some games of pool in while I wait for you so we can drink."

"Well damn, ain't too often I see you enjoying yourself. It's always work, scavenge, alcoholism, repeat. Alright, I'll see you later, I got a good bit of work to do. Later?"

"Later."

"Kickass. See you, Mike." Alex offers me a fistbump which I definitely return with gusto before the Ghoul turns back to his morning work.

"See ya, Alex. Keep an eye for raiders and shit." I give a small wave before I start walking down that good old road I take almost every day. Here goes a good hour of my day.

I tune my Pip-Boy onto the I-75 Radio to find myself on the rear end of The Wanderer. Sad, I really like that song too. Although I can't complain, I am very quickly met with a morning greeting by the DJ Dahl and his usual calming demeanor. "And good morning people of the Texas Wastelands. It is me, DJ Lucas Dahl coming at you from Live I-75 Radio Station here in the remains of Old Arlington right outside of New Arlington bringing you a little bit of news this fine morning.

"News of a string of settlement raids by the local criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde has recently made its way to this radio station. Not meaning to cause an uproar, but these raids seem to be pointed in a direct line towards New Arlington. Not like they can do anything if they do make it here, far too many defenses for them to get in. Even though I dislike saying this, I do have to say the sight of them going to the wall seems really hilarious!"

Damn Bonnie and Clyde, I've had to fight them off a few times. Never thought those two idiots could do anything like a string of raids, they were pretty weak when I fought them.

"Little bit of happy news on the side of the recent attack on Ghoul Town. Turns out there wasn't really all that much damage caused to the rides, although due to a wall collapse the eastern half of their food court is currently unavailable. Bit sad, I really liked their noodle cups, especially that robot that serves them. 'Parentally one of the Ghouls came down from old Diamond City and got the idea for a Protectron that can only speak bad Chinese."

I've never been there before, I don't really care much about a damaged food court.

"And lastly for the morning news, we got a good hint of news for the market district of New Arlington. We have a new shipment of everything in today, including animals for those of you involved in farming scene. These animals include but are not limited to Brahmin, Brahmin Steers, Rollers, those strange two headed goats found often in New Vegas area, and a decent bit more for those of you wondering."

Oh! How convenient! I am getting myself a… actually, hearing the Roller part, I may get one of those instead. Brahmin sized pill bugs, or roly polys, are great Texan beasts of burden seeing as they can carry the same amount if not more and also have a very thick carapace that works as a heavy armor. I am now doing to have to work out which would be better in the long run. Something to think of while either bowling, billardsing, or drinking.

"And that is it for the new for the time being. I hope you all stay tuned for anymore bits of wasteland happenings after a little bit of music. This one's all about what every man wants to be out there with his special lady. Sixty Minute Man by Billy Ward and The Dominoes."

I have to pause my train of thought as the song starts up. Did… Did he just make a joke about men wanting to… well, 'go on' for an hour? Those out of nowhere jokes always get me more than they should. As well as they distract me for a long time, considering that when I look up I realize I am already a little bit off of the gates to New Arlington! I come up to the closed gates and look to the guard towers, waiting for either Kyle or Nicci to come over and open it up. Brother and sister guards, protecting the town as best they can. Nice people, but pains in the rear sometimes if you mess with them. They don't care much for jokes and the like.

After a good few minutes, Nicci comes over dressed in her usual NA security getup. Some repurposed uniforms of the Lone Star Brahmas, some old hockey team. She waves down to me and shouts, "Mornin' Mikey! Bit early for scavenge sellin, ain't it?"

"Yep!" I yell back. "That's why I ain't selling! I'm just here for some R and R! And maybe buying either a Brahmin or a Roller, haven't made my mind up yet. Mind opening the gates?"

Nicci gives me a thumbs up before going off the guard tower and leaving me to wait. Again. I am an impatient one at times. Once the gates open I am happily met by the bronzed blonde gatekeeper herself. "Now, with you I can only think of two things R and R means. Either bowling or drinking, and I don't see the Ghoul with you. Bowling?"

"Bowling."

"Kickass, I'm in. I was on night guard, I got off an hour ago. Let's get to that dumb museum and bowl it up!"


	3. Mike III: Chemical Bowlmance

I don't have a problem with I-75 Radio, I really don't, it's just that I don't care for hearing it while I'm about to whoop a New Arlington guard at bowling. But, sadly, that's the world I live in at the moment. Bit of news is fine, he usually switches it to a good four or five songs so I'll have something to listen too besides a dude talking. Let's see what he's going on about before I begin.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen of the Lone Star State, I am here with a little bit of news for everybody. See, I ain't the only here in the I-75 Station, y'all probably already know that, and my colleagues have come across some pretty interesting bits of information. You see, our homegrown meteorologist bot, W34-TH3R, has found something a little bit outside her usual range of search. By that, I mean she's seen something up in the stars. No, no, no, not aliens, everybody with a brain knows they don't exist. What she's found is a very early return of the famous Haley's Comet.

"Yes, that Halley's Comet. The one that only appears every something something years, nobody remembers. Anyways, apparently that big 'ol block of ice is going to be swingin' around this big blue marble in just a few days, estimated to arrive around noon so get yourselves ready. Grab a nice cold Nuka-Cola, lean back in a good easy chair, and enjoy the fly by of one of space's deepest majesties.

"As an added bonus to these happenings, all the way up until the comet passes everybody listening will be greeted by a Mister Bill Haley and His Comets, starting right now with Rock Around the Clock. See all y'all in a few minutes." With that, the DJ switches on a far more upbeat bit if rock and roll, making this an actually very enjoyable game. I always loved Bill Haley. Shame they were never able to translate his music onto holotapes before the bombs dropped.

I am shaken out of my train of thought by Nicci patting me on the back holding a pair of bowling shoes. "Here ya go, dingus. Got your shoes for ya! Least I could do since I about to whoop ya!" She laughs as we start to walk towards our lane at the end of the hall. "Alrighty, put our names in the thing, I gotta take a piss." And like that, the guard goes off to the restroom.

I nod as she walks away and sit down at the chair in front of the terminal, typing in our usual bowling names, MJL and NCI. Cool that I remember that considering it's been a good few weeks since I been here with her. Weird considering we drink all the time, do stuff and all that, but bowling's rare with us. Strange. I have boring and pointless thoughts when I'm left alone.

Although I wasn't left alone for long as a younger gentleman, probably no older that sixteen, walked up to me in a surprisingly clean tan suit and hat. "Good morning, Sir! Davis Strutt, pleasure to meet you," he held out his hand, which I of course shook.

"Morning. Mike Alton. What brings you up to me out of nowhere? Because if it's to cause harm, I ain't scared to fight back." I may be polite, but I am always up front about the shit I will not put up with.

Davis laughs and shakes his head, lifting up a black suitcase I missed beforehand. "No harm at all, Sir! All I have is knowledge on a problem and the solution to it!" He sets the case on the table and opens it up, showing an absolute crazy amount of chems! "You see, it has come to my attention that the local chem dealers in New Arlington are selling these chems at a price far too high than should be acceptable, even for junkies! I am planning on correcting that with my homebrew line of much demanded Chems! I got Med-X, I got Jet, Jet Fuel, I got Buffout, Mentats, Daddy-O, Day Tripper, Psycho, Psychobuff. I got everything you could ever need! So, what all can I put you down for?"

I look over the selection and spot everything the kid says plus some and can't help but ask the question, "Ain't you a little young to be a chems dealer?"

"Yes. Yes I am. But that doesn't mean I'm too young not to know what a full on ripoff all the other dealers in this town is! So, do I have a sale?"

I think for a few seconds before reaching into one of my pockets and grabbing my cap purse. "How much for some Jet Fuel?"

Davis grins and takes out an inhaler of the Jet variant. "Twenty-five caps an inhaler, a straight hundred for five."

Damn, kid knows hows to drive a bargain. At least forty percent less than most people would sell it here. "I like you and I like your prices. Here, hundred even." Me and Davis go through the exchange and I pack up the drugs. "So, what got you into this business? Ya don't seem like the… chemmer type."

As Davis opens his mouth, he is interrupted by the voice of the New Arlington guard returning. "Because his daddy got shot by some pricks hired by the other dealers in town," Nicci said as she sat came up to the bowling terminal, "Luckily I killed all the bastards and Davy here took up the family business while his pop's in the hospital. Speakin' of the business," She pulls out fifty caps, "Two Psychobuffs, please."

The kid pulls out two large syringes with a pair of pumps on the sides and hands them to the guard, taking the caps. "But, yes, my dad was shot the other day and I'm trying to pay the bills and all that lovely stuff. Still can't believe someone hired mercs to stop this. Who even were they?"

Nicci shrugs as she takes the syringes. "Hell if I know. All I know is that they had 'S.I.' tattooed on their necks aaaaand fuck, I just realized I fucked big time." The guard pauses for a minute in the middle of a dip in the song over the radio, causing an excessive amount of awkward silence. "That… is the sign of people part of the Spanish Inquisition…"

We all pause for a considerable amount of time before I shake my head. "N-No, no, no! It couldn't have been! Those Spanish Inquisition guys all work under King Hertic, they aren't just some run of the mill mercenaries. They were probably out of the S.I. when ya killed them! Let's ignore that for now, this is a relax positive day! Not one to question our fear of being hunted by the worst group in the Texas Wastelands."

Davis only chuckles awkwardly and closes his case, taking a step back. "Well, I thank y'all for your business, but I wouldn't want to get in the way of y'alls game! And, well, a decent bit aways from someone that killed two guys with they Spanish Inquisition tattoo on their necks. Pleasure doing business with you two, I hope to see at least one of you alive again! Ta-ta!" With that, Davis turned and walked off to another small group, no doubt giving the same introduction to his cheap and good chems.

Nicci, meanwhile, sits down and takes some pretty rapid breaths as she has just realized she possibly messed with the people you do not mess with; The Spanish Inquisition. The Spanish Inquisition are, power wise, as strong as The Brotherhood of Steel on Psycho, which makes it unfortunate that they are, what some people would say, on the bad side. Colossal raider faction that attacks without reason and takes no survivors. Yet, they are more dangerous due to being smart. They know when to back down from a fight and retreat. But that isn't what makes them the most dangerous.

It was that their leader, King Hertic, is the only know human being on the planet to have, not only tamed, but weaponized and armored an Albino Deathhorn. And he loves that thing like a mother would her child. People know not to mess with them.

I look to Nicci and think, coming up with a slightly stupid but also kind if smart at the time idea. "Look, just… Just shoot up and we can bowl. I am certain you're fine, you're just panicking." I am a terrible friend but one hell of an amazing enabler.

Nicci tries to slow her breathing as she takes out one of the large syringes and lines it up with her arm, jamming it in and forcing down the injector and shooting the large amount of mixed drugs into her veins. In no less than ten seconds the extreme amount of anxiety on her face slowly twisted back into what can only be described as aroused anger as she stands back up, her eyes wide and breathing aggressive. "Let's fucking do this."


	4. Alex I: The King Arrives

Farming ain't the easiest life, but it certainly is rather rewarding. I spend my time growing and harvesting each and every crop to sustain myself as well as sell and provide to New Arlington for a few hundred caps every few weeks or so. It's an honest living, despite back breaking. But whenever a new crop of Mutfruit of Yucca comes in, it's always worth it.

What's even more rewarding is the Crashibis. A radioactivity altered version of a pre-war herbal hallucinogenic, one that only a Ghoul can enjoy due to its high level of radiation. It earned its name simply due to the absolute crash off all systems that happen as soon as the initial high wears off, which in itself provides extreme hallucinations in one's dreamscape. It's almost as if having visions of the past, present, and future, and it is borderline life changing. I was once able to see life before the war even started. It's beautiful.

Although, the rest of the time I'm not high is absolutely boring and annoying, even though my life is rewarding. That's why I always try my best to listen to the radio whenever I can, but never that stuff Mike listens to. I much prefer the Classical Stars station, a station that plays some more calming music with barely any news interruptions! Well, aside from right now, when the station's runner, Felix Frye, comes on and speaks.

"Well, what a glorious day to you all! My name is Felix, as I assume most of you know, and I am here for your regular three hour news hit. Now, I have a neat little bit of news that just hit my desk this morning involving The West Siblings, two of the biggest raider gangs in all of the Texas Wastes. It seems as though the horribly held together gang of Ashley West has taken claim to the old Super Duper Mart right outside of New Arlington, causing it to he a deadly war zone for any inexperienced survivor.

"Her brother, Brady, on the other had, has seemed to distance itself from New Arlington by heading towards the burned remains of Dallas. That fool and his gang best be careful. Even though those raiders are strong, he's walkin' right into the path of King Hertic and his army, makin' a straightaway towards- uh… t-towards…" He stutters. Felix never stutters. I think it may just be a problem with my radio before speaks again. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am so sorry to say, but… The studio has just gotten word that the path King Hertic is walking is heading directly towards the Texas Wastes' capital of New Arlington."

I freeze up as I hear this, having to lean my hoe up against a tree as I come over, picking up the radio to listen more.

"We can only make assumptions at this time, but estimate him to arrive in… in only two hours. From everybody here at the station, we thoroughly recommend everyone evacuate or get prepared for the battle of a lifetime. I will personally say, I would gather my family and get out as quickly as possible. Nobody wants to be on the bad end of King Hertic and that damned Deathhorn. Stupid beast... Wait. Oh, no, did I say that out loud? Are we still on? Ah, shit, turn it off! I said turn it-" The radio suddenly goes to static.

I turn off the radio and start panicking slightly, thinking about what could happen if Mike and Nicci got left in the city after the evacuation. I finally decide that their safety-even though I don't particularly care for Nicci-was more important than my farm at the moment, dropping my hoe and running to my small stables. I open the door and climb onto the back of my Sleipnir, an eight-legged equine, and start charging to New Arlington.

I arrive at the gates less than an hour later, still too slim a time period for me to be comfortable with. I yell up to the guards why I have arrived and they let me in with no question, one of the guards rushing to sound an evacuation alarm. I can only assume that means nobody knows yet. That means the panic will slow everything down. And that means my chances of getting to the two will be hard if not impossible.

Rushing through the instant panic, I try to recall where Mike said he was going to be. He said bowling, drinking, maybe getting a Roller. That really brings up only three places he could be and that is good, the less I have to run around searching the better.

First, I ride straight to the bowling museum. I hop off my Sleipnir and run inside, bursting through the doors as people are starting to pile out. I call out for Mike and Nicci, running in and searching for the two, stopping when I look up at a terminal to see a set of initials. MJL and NCI. Looks like Nicci was beating Mike bad, 182 to 104. But since I don't see them I don't think they're still here. I turn and almost run out before slamming into somebody, falling back on my rear.

I look up to the woman I bumped into and light up instantly seeing it was Nicci! The only time I would ever be happy to see this bitch. "Nicci! Holy shit, we gotta get out of here! Where's Mike?"

"Ugh, fucking Rotted, why'd you run into me? And why the fuck is everybody freaking out?"

"What? Are you serious? Do you not hear that damned siren?" I pointed to the siren that was built into the ceiling.

"Wait, that's the siren?" Now she seemed more focused. "Shit, do you know what's happening? I think I saw Mike go to the restroom."

"It's Hertic." With those two simple words, everyone in the immediate area froze and looked at me, causing me to freeze myself. "Th-the radio, they saw him and his army coming this way. Less than an hour, if even that. We all have to get out of here! Now!" And like that, everybody began panicking again, except this time it was even more extreme.

Nicci was actually very calm at the moment, but that could just be due to her trying to process the information. "Now, I'm usually very level headed, but this is a special occasion where I am going to now freak the fuck out. Inside. I need to appear strong, but I am screaming in my head." She reached on her back and pulled out a double barreled shotgun. "Okay, grab Mike and get out of here before that fake king ass bitch finally arrives."

Without question, I quickly run to the restroom and push open the door to see Mike washing his hands in the most inopportune times. I walk up and grab his shoulder. "Mike, we gotta go, now. Hertic is on his way."

Mike looked up and nods, starting out and looking around before rushing to the city guard. "Nicci, we're leaving. Come on, we gotta get out of town. My place should be safe, it's too small to be a target, even with Alex's farm right next door."

Nicci shakes her head and started walking out of the bowling museum. "No can-do, you two can leave no problem, but I have to get back to the walls. I'm still a guard, I put the city before myself."

"Nicci, no!" Mike grabs the woman's arm. "This is King Hertic, he's the biggest raider leader in the entire fucking United States! It will be a lot less painful if we left, now come on!"

"No, Mike. This city is my home, and I refuse to stand down to some asshole in a cowboy hat that thinks he's some kind of viking or something!" She pulled her arm back and shoved Mike. "Now get the fuck out of here with the Rotted or stay and fight, because I ain't leavin'!"

Mike stands there for a moment before sighing, reaching into his holster and taking out his pistol. "Alright, then I guess that means we're staying. Mike doesn't leave a bro behind!"

I jump a little and chime in. "Excuse me, 'WE'? I never agreed to this, I'm a fucking farmer!" I instantly feel the hit of pained guilt from saying that, sighing and shaking my head. "Fuck, shit. You're right, I can't just leave you guys." I reach behind and grab the laser rifle from the strap on my back. "Let's just do this."

We all nod in agreement, although mine was a little bit more reluctant, before heading outside and towards the gates. We barely got to the scaffolding holding up the perimeter platforms before the panicking seemed to die down to a barely a whimper suddenly. Not as a gradual decline to silence, it was near instantaneous. We climbed up onto the platforms and looked over the wall to see why everyone got so quiet, and then we all saw it. The one thing that could make a city of panicking people go quiet in a second was standing, not one hundred yards away, was a colossal raider army.

Standing at the front of the army, right next to the giant body of a trained Deathhorn, was the large beast of a man, standing almost as tall as the irradiated reptile next to him. Dark skinned and wearing a garb memorable of a strange combination of both cowboy and ancient vikings. He stood tall holding a giant gatling laser pointed directly at the city walls, ready to melt a hole through the metal if he needed to. He bore a long, pure black beard, braided dreadlocks, and a series of huge piercings along his face, making him look like a walking metal tank. The infamous raider king in all of Texas.

King Hertic

After a moment if stunner silence, the King steps forward holding what looked like some form of megaphone, lifting it to his mouth before speaking. "Ladies and gentlemen of New Arlington!" He had a booming voice, one that would make an automaton rust and collapse in fear. "As you all probably know, I am King Hertic of Dallas! Now, I know I am a frightening man with a very frightening presence. If that's due to my size, may army, or my big Ezekiel here," Hertic pats the Deathhorn on the back, "It doesn't really matter now, does it? What I am here for is one simple thing. I do not wish to destroy New Arlington, but I am sure as hell not turned away from it considering the size of the situation."

He paused for the terms to settle into effect before talking again. "You see, I am after the little punk that thought it would be alright to raid me and my tribe's secret stash of chems." Oh no. "It was a stash that was hidden in a secret section of an abandoned Vault." Oh no. "And then this little shit thought he could get away with selling them all and getting on the radio about it!"

Both me and Nicci look at Mike with combined expressions of fear and shock, Mike simply looking terrified. "No… I… I brought this. I brought Hertic here."

Hertic clears his throat before speaking again. "Now, some knowledge gather has informed me that this little scavenging shit is a local to this town. So as long as they show their face, we'll take him and nothing will happen to the rest of you. The man we are looking for goes by the name… uh, goes by the name…" He stopped and leaned to one of the raiders and shared a few words away from the megaphone before he turned back. "His name is Michael Alton! May he present himself, or else."

Very stupidly, one of the guards on the platform shouted down to Hertic. "Or what!?" He is quickly met by a Deathhorn spike thrown by Ezekiel direction in the throat.

Hertic nods and calls out again. "Mike, we know you're in there! Come out and spare all these nice people, will you? You have five minutes."


	5. Mike IV: Negotiation

I stood there absolutely frozen hearing the King's words. He brought an entire army just for me. One singular person that found his stash on accident. I brought the biggest monster in all of post-war America to this one settlement by a spur of what I thought was good luck. I done effed up.

After the initial shock, a minute had passed, followed by a shot from a pistol directly into the air followed by Hertic shouting out, "Four minutes left!" Of course, like as expected, everybody jumps and begins panicking amongst themselves, all trying to find me in the ensuing chaos. It was easy to hear the King's laughter over the screaming.

I look to the Ghoul and city guard, trying to get some form of reassurance from them before seeing something I never thought I would ever see. Nicci, one if my two closest friends, was pointing her shotgun directly at my face with a look of pure seriousness. It was easy to tell what she wanted, but for her to do it like this? It crushed me. I do not say a word and just nod, looking back to the army of Raiders with a heavy sigh. A few thousand lives for the sacrifice of one. It's really a no brainer.

I am quickly escorted by the guard towards the front gate, everybody around ceasing their panic as they watch me get moved to the exit. Nicci looked up to the guard manning the gate. "Open this bitch up! He's going out there." Without even the single lick of a question, the guard opens the large gate just as Hertic's second gunshot goes off into the air. "Go on, Mike. I'm… sorry."

I chuckled a little and look to the King. "No you're not. I'm sorry. I brought then here." I take a deep breath before letting out a sigh, slowly starting to walk down the way to the raider leader, striding through the drowning silence until I am no more than twenty feet away from the man. I look up to him, swallowing my fear, and speak. "I'm here, Hertic. Just… do whatever you need to."

The King looked down at me for a moment, starting to walk around and look me over. When he came back around to my front, just just grins and laughs. "This? This is the fool that robbed my entire Vault of drugs?" He laughs louder and turns to his army. It takes a second before they began laughing awkwardly, soon the entire raider gang was in deafening laughter.

After a moment of this, Hertic shoots into the sky again. "Quiet!" He looked back down at me and walked forward, stopping in front if me. The man towered over me like nothing. "Listen. Where is all of our chems. Tell me that, and there doesn't have to be any problems. Understood?"

I freeze up and look at the King, not knowing how to feel about his… surprisingly calm demeanor over this. "Uh… in the lungs, veins, blood, and everywhere else the people that bought them can inject them. And at the vendors. So… yeah, there's probably no more so you'll just have to kill me."

Hertic stares me down for a second before taking a deep breath, exhaling, and then turning to his troops with his megaphone. "You hear that, raiders? The boy said there ain't no more chems except for what's in town!" He glances back to me with a smirk before speaking to the army again. "Go fucking get it!" And with that, the army begins to cheer and yell as they started rush the city walls.

I start panicking in my head as the raiders run past me, hearing gun and laser go off from both directions, causing me to naturally try and take some form of cover. Unfortunately, there was none aside cowering down in front of the King, looking up at him. I don't know what compelled me to do so, but just almost shouted at him, "What the hell are you doing? I have myself up, just kill me!"

Hertic just laughs at my face. "Sorry kid, that's not how we work. We're here for our chems, and we ain't leaving without them. Even if we have to pull it from those users bodies."

He laughs as I turn to see a series of explosions along the wall. On the guard stations I can see Nicci shooting at the invaders as fast she can before eventually getting shot in the arm herself. I groan and look back up to Hertic. "There has to be some other way! I'll do anything, just stop them! What if I… I…" I stop and realize an honestly horrible idea I let crawl it's way to my brain. "What if I get back all the chems?"

Hertic stops laughing and just looks at me for a second. He stares at me before chuckling lightly, soon growing into a billowing laughter that echoes through the entire army, silencing the screams of war and weapons, even causing those fighting against the raider army to stop fighting back. The army was frozen by the terrifying laughter of the King.

After an almost solid five minutes of nothing but the maniacal laughter, Hertic starts calming down and once again pats me on the shoulder. "Son. That is the most asinine thing I have ever heard in my forty-seven years of life." This guy's forty-seven? "So you have given me the best laugh I have in quite a while. Just for this, I'll give you some cliche amount of time to get those chems if you really think you can. Say… one week. Get me the entire Vault's worth of drugs in that time, and everything here will be fine. Fail, and I destroy this city and then track you down to murder you like no tomorrow. Understood?"

That was… surprisingly easy. But who am I to look a gift Sleipnir in the mouth? "That… is an amazing bargain I will definitely go for, one week to find literally metric fucktons of chems. Question, will this be a quest just for me or can I bring people to help me? Because if I will end up being the cause of a city dying, I don't want all of that weight on my head alone before I die."

"It would be impossible if you couldn't take some lackies with you, so yes. Besides, you can carry more chems with more people." Hertic is surprisingly easy negotiator when you can make him laugh. Might have to keep that in mind just in case. Lord knows I may have to negotiate another deal a week from now.

"Ah, wonderful! Okay, so, you take your army far far away from here, perhaps give me a location where to be, and I will swing by with my two friends with barrels full of chems! Although, barrels may be a poor choice of words… I'll have a lot of drugs. Good? Good. Goodbye, thanks for stopping by, and sorry for causing this whole situation in the first place."

"You're a kid that knows how to get down to business. I like that. May make your murder less painful than everybody elses. Maybe. Probably not." He raises his gatling laser into the sky and starts firing for a few moments before pulling out the megaphone again and shouted to the army. "Alright, listen up you cunts! This dumb shit said he can get our chems back!" He takes a pause to the sound of deafening cheering before shooting again. "But! There is a but. He has one week. If he doesn't have it then, we get to kill the bitch! And the dumbasses he said he'll take on to get the chems!" Well, there goes my chances of getting Nicci and Alex on my side. "Oh, and destroy New Arlington! We can do that if he fails as well!" Aaaaand there goes me ever being allowed in N.A. again. "So, everybody set your clocks for seven days! We'll be at the old Dallas Airport!"

As if they never attacked in the first place, the army turned and started retreating at an alarming rate, leaving Hertic and the Deathhorn behind. He glanced down before turning, more or less forcing me to ask the question. "Why turn your back like that? Can't somebody with a sniper easily take you out?"

Hertic stops and just stands there before speaking away from me, "Son. The only person that can kill me," he turns towards me with a grin, "is Micheal Mc-Doesn't-Exist. Nobody's going to take the shot." He turns again and starts walking away again, Ezekiel simply giving me a growl before following the King.

I just look behind me and see just how true that statement is. Anybody that had a gun or some form of sniper rifle, simply watched with their weapons lowered. I don't blame them. If you anger the King, the army takes out said anger. You never want to anger an army with a Deathhorn. That goddanm Deathhorn scares the shit out of me.


	6. Nicci I: A Quest

I was not good for sudden panic in the city. Even less so when the panic is caused by the invading forces leaving the city before they even hit the doors. But this? The anarchy and insanity caused by King Hertic turning away from the city was far beyond anything I have ever seen in my life. People seemed to be more feared knowing he was going to return rather than the fact he almost just attacked.

I was smart though, I avoided the riot to attempt and get to the highest point on the wall. It took a decent bit of trying and pushing over some other guards, but I managed to get to on top of the wall and looked over the chaos. I pointed my shotgun into the air and fired twice, getting more than enough attention from the townspeople.

"HEY!" My voice echoed through the crowd, causing remaining panickers to halt and turn to me. "The bitch just fucking LEFT! Stop freaking out! We have time, a good week, to evacuate! But before that, we must put all chems we have remaining into the bank, make sure we get that maniacs stash back. After that, get everything together so we can evacuate in four days!"

The crowd goes into nulled murmurs before I nod, fining once more into the air. "Well? Get fucking going!" Everyone began dispersing quickly, leaving me on the wall with the Rotted who finally got up. "Well Alex. Let's go get Mike out of this mess. And then kick his ass for putting us in it."

"I can't believe he agreed to that stupid request… There are too many drugs used and not enough time." Alex mumbles out, stepping down the slope from the wall to the ground.

We head down the path from the city gates to Mike, still standing and watching the army disappearing away and over a hill. I come up and patted the scavenger on the shoulder and making him jump. "Mike. You have both fucked us and possibly saved up."

He nods as he turned to face me and the Rotted. "No, I… I have fucked us. I can't get enough chems for them… You saw the size of that army, didn't you?"

"Yes," Alex responded, "We did. We also saw that he is giving us a week. There has to be more than enough in the Texas Wastes for that!"

I let out an audible scoff and roll my eyes, responding with, "Yeah! Right behind locked vaults, raider dens, Bonnie and Clyde's hideout, and who knows how many Deathhorn territories!" I sigh and shake my head. "So, no matter what, we have a high likelihood of death."

Mike nods a little. "Yeah… Yeah we do…" He paused for a solid half minute, causing a temporary awkward silence before blurting out, "Let's fucking do it! If I'm going down, I'm at least going to try and fix my fuck up!"

Both me and the Rotted looked at each other confused before back to Mike, each at a loss for words. After having processed what he said, both me and Alex said, in unison, "Let's get going then!" A better plan than just standing around and waiting to see if we have enough in the city alone.

And that was the start of our quest. Mike fucked us over and now we had to get drugs in order for my hometown to not get murdered to death. We spent a small bit of filler time in the city gathering every bit of materials we would need for this, as well as Mike's new Roller, who he decided to call Tank. Definitely original. Once everything packed up, we headed out, our current course of action being to get away from people who probably want to murder Mike and plan as we walked. During the time we were walking, Mike turned on his Pip-Boy to the Live I-75 station.

"How are you my ladies and gentlemen of the Texas Wastes? I hope you're all good, because I don't want to ruin an already bad day with this bad news. It turns out that our friendly scavenger Mike decided to bring the settlement of New Arlington a metric fuckload of chems that came from a cache owned by none other than King Hertic himself. They threatened us and, apparently, the little scavenger has gone out on a quest to get back the chems. Now, I am going to stay neutral on this, but I will say one thing. If you got chems, turn them into the New Arlington bank so our stockpile can be built up. That way, we'll at least have something to give them when they come back

"Now, to get away from the dark and depressing, here is a little Bill Haley and the Comets with Don't Knock the Rock. I'm the DJ Dahl, and you're listening to I-75." He switched over to the music and we walk in silence for a good amount of time, none of us able to think properly as, I can only assume, we were all realizing the gravity of our situation.

After a good while, the Rotted finally spoke up out of nowhere, "Alright. All for Ghoul Town? My brother owns it and they straight up sell that stuff for cheap."

Ghoul Town. The remains of Six Flags Over Texas now owned and inhabited by Ghouls who have rebuilt and maintain the rides. Literally the safest place in the Wasteland but it's still fucking disgusting. Letting Rotted have their own community.

I shake my head and mumble to myself. "Yeah, because I wanna spend my time around a bunch of gross Rotted with falling apart rides…" I cleared my throat and spoke up louder. "Okay, apparently we're going to a place y'all know I won't enjoy to save our town. Alright, I can suffer for the safety of others."

Mike laughed a little and patted me on the back, clearly breaking my no touching rule. "That's the spirit! C'mon, I heard they just finished fixing up The Silver Shroud, and I wanna be one of the first ones in line!"


	7. Nicci II: Sandwiches

I hate this. I absolutely cannot believe I have to do this. I would so much rather get sent to the damn Mojave and that damn sanctuary. But no. No, instead I have to go with this idiot and his stupid Rotted friend to the Rotted capital of Texas to fix his mess. I don't have a problem having to work with a Rotted, I've done that before, one of the wall guards I work with is one, but to be going to Ghoul Town? That's disgusting beyond description. Sadly, considering the situation we're in, it seems as though I'm stuck with going to that god awful place. You can do this, Nicci. You've done worse.

I make sure my shotgun is loaded as I look over to Mike and the Rotted, Alex, then to my other side to our Roller, Valmir. Never letting the Rotted name anything again. Claims it's from some pre-war video game. Idiot. I look forward again down the road before letting out a quiet sigh. "This is bullshit! Why can't we have some actual damn mode of transportation?" I ask, groaning out loud after stepping over a large crack in the ground.

"Because," Mike said while climbing over a fallen tree, "The ground is too uneven to drive and we don't have a saddle for Valmir."

Fuck. I hate when he's right about all that stuff. "But what about a sleipnir? We couldn't spend an extra five minutes to buy a couple for this trip?"

"You were the one that wanted us to leave as fast as possible," the Rotted said, letting out a gross, raspy laugh. "Besides," it added on, "I'm the only one with the proper handling to ride one of them."

"The hell is that supposed to mean? I've ridden one of those damn horses before!" I honestly felt a little offended by that. The hell does Alex think he is, claiming a country girl, born and raised, doesn't know how to ride an eight-legged horse mutant? "My family used to work at the damn Steertown Coliseum!"

Mike seemed to take a major interest in that, looking at me with very excited eyes. "What!? You never told me that! We've known each other for years, why have I never heard that before? The actual fuck, Nicci?!"

For some reason, pissing off the idiot made me smile. "What? I never thought it was interesting or anything. Y'all rangle with monsters and animals all the time, what does it-" I was cut off from the sounds of some kind of yelling over a hill. I hold up my hand in a fist to halt our little group, slowly stepping over and looking down, spotting a pair of men with a Molerat between them, all three sitting down on a fallen tree.

"It counts." I hear the left one shout out. "If it is between two pieces of bread, it is considered a sandwich."

The other very audibly groaned looking down. "You are aware that implies that three pieces of bread on top of each other is a fucking bread sandwich, right? Damn idiot…" He threw a rock over to a tree, actually slamming a Radroach and killing it on the spot.

"Technically, yes, although it isn't something you'd eat casually. I would rather have some actual food in between the bread. Personally, I wouldn't mind some Mirelurk. Few bits of Mutfruit in it too doesn't sound bad."

I sigh a little, looking back to Mike and Alex. "Just some idiots talking about fucking sandwiches. Let's go on through, might as well." I stand and hold my shotty down, leading our little band over the hill.

When coming down, the duo on the tree looked up before the left-most one stood up some. "Oi! Keep your distance."

This quickly got my attention. I looked over to him with a little narrowed eyes, smirking some. "Don't worry," I say, looking to the right man. "Sorry, but your friends right. Three pieces of bread is a sandwich. But Mirelurk meat is a no-go." Ragstag meat gal born, raised, and will die.

The man smirked and laughed, pointing at the still sitting guy, "Hah! Told you it's all sandwiches!"

Mike looked to me and then to the other man. "Uh… Excuse me, what's going on about sandwiches? I am super confused right now."

The man still sitting groans and stands up finally, the Molerat at his side skittering around his feet some. "Apologies. I'm only assume the lady here was eavesdropping on our conversation," He explained, motioning to me. "We were just talking about what constitutes a sandwich and why, no matter if it is meat or not, anything radioactive should not be in one."

"Oh. Well, yeah, if it's in between two pieces of bread and held by the bread, it is a sandwich," Mike explained, glancing down at the Molerat. "Uh… I see you got a little friend there."

"Hm? Oh, yeah!" He leaned down and gave the Molerat a little pat on the side. "This is Clumsy. We found her with a pair of land mines taped to her back. We disarmed 'em, and she's sorta followed us around ever since," he explained, before seeming to remember something. "I'm sorry, we ain't introduced ourselves yet! I'm Dagger, and my brother here is Husk."

Husk raised his hand. "Howdy. Husk's the name, selling meat's the game. You in the market?"

The Rotted chimed in. "Sorry, not looking for meat right now. On a chem trip. I'm Alex, by the way," he said before pointing to me and Mike, "That's Nicci, and he's Mike."

Both Dagger and Husk seemed to tense up hearing Mike's name, the latter unholstering a laser pistol. "Hol' up! You mean the id'jit that pissed off Hertic?"

I groan and hold my head in my hands before slowly nodding. "Yeah… Yeah, he's that dumbass. That's why we're going to get some more chems to try and pay the crazy maniac back."

Dagger looked between everyone before reaching over and placing a hand on Husk's gun, lowering it down. "Alright, so get chems and pay the crazy guy back. We don't live in New Arlington and ain't got ties there, so this ain't anything we gotta deal with."

I sigh a little, having a hint of relief behind it. We don't need any more trouble than we already have. "Yes, exactly. This is our shit to fuck with. We're just goin' through to that damn Rotted park to try and buy our way outta this."

Our Rotted seemed annoyed, probably due to how I said it, and chimed in. "She's talking about Ghoul Town."

Apparently, Dagger found this to be extremely interesting, as he instantly stepped closer with a rather large and almost childish smile. "Did you say Ghoul Town? Hey, uh, so me and Husk ain't actually doing anything in regards of living right now. You mind if we…?"

I narrowed my eyes a little looking at the two. "If you… what? Tag along? Just because we're going to some gross, Rotted run park with halfassedly rebuilt rides and a radioactive lazy river?"

"Yes."

"Well that was fast," I say and think for a second, looking to Mike and Alex, "Input?"

Mike shrugged with a smile. "Hey, safety in numbers, right?"

Alex nodded as well. "Right. Besides, we came up on them while they were talking about damn sandwiches. I don't think they'd be much of a problem if things went bad."

I think for another swift moment before finally nodding, turning to the other three. "Alright, but just to Ghoul Town. We get there, we get our chems, the dipshit," I point back to Mike, "Rides The Silver Shroud, then we split up. Deal?"

Dagger nodded in response. "Deal!"

"Alright. God, I cannot believe this is what we're actually doing. Let's go. The farther from destruction by the hands of Hertic the better." Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that shit like this is going to happen more often now?


End file.
